My journey began with a 1½-hour-long drive from Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, through beautiful, scenic roads to a wild, treetop zip lining adventure I will not soon forget.
Salvi Gardens packs a lot into a small space in the heart of Vicenza’s old town. A mansion with a moat is a UNESCO Heritage Site, but some of Salvi Gardens’ less-heralded pleasures, including statuary, fountains, rose gardens and giant conifers, make it a place to return to often. It’s usually occupied in temperate weather by lovers, dog walkers, people having lunch and others. They sit on benches in the sun, lie on the grass or amble alongside the moat. A few read the signs with the names of the many tree and flower species. Once on a Sunday I caught a concert there.
By THERON GODBOLD | Stars and Stripes | Published: April 1, 2021 About an hour’s drive from most U.S. bases near Tokyo is one of Japan’s most scenic locations, the Chureito Pagoda. The hilltop memorial provides an unprecedented view of Mount Fuji in the background with cherry blossoms, Fujiyoshida City and the iconic Asian pagoda in the foreground. A 10-minute hike up nearly 400 steps brings you to these amazing views. Or you may wind your way along a paved road or take one of the many paths in the surrounding park. Located on the outskirts of Fujiyoshida City, the Fujiyoshida Cenotaph Monument, the actual name of the pagoda, was built in August 1958 to enshrine the memory of almost 1,000 citizens of Fujiyoshida who died in wars after 1868, according to a plaque at the site.
By KYLE ALVAREZ | Stars and Stripes | Published: March 11, 2021 A 15-minute drive from Lakenheath and slightly longer from Mildenhall lies a 30-acre oasis from the daily grind. Brandon Country Park offers visitors miles of heathland and forests, fresh air, hiking and biking trails, glimpses of unique wildlife, trees you don’t expect to see in England, a walled garden, historic buildings even a rumored ghost. It has strong ties to the military, not just through its proximity to the two U.S. air bases at Mildenhall and Lakenheath, but going back to its inception in the 19th century. Brandon, the town that gives the park its name, once produced most of the flint used by the army of the British empire. Local businessman Edward Bliss made his fortune selling gunflint to the army during the Napoleonic Wars, which lasted from May 1803 until November 1815.